Reversing mechanism.



Patanted Feb. 25, I902. G. E. RAINS. REVERSINGMECHANISM (Application filed Aug. 15, 1901.)-

(No Model.)

T NORRlS PETERS c0 PHOTOLIYHKL. WASHINGTO UNITED STATES PATENT. OFFICE.

CHARLES E. RAINS, on CHANUTE, KANSAS, ASSIGNOR on ONE-HALF TO L. n. ELSTEN, on CHANUTE, KANSAS.

REVERSING MECHANISM.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 693,904, dated'Feloruary 25, 1902.

Application filed August 15, 1901. Serial No. 72,180- (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, CHARLES E. RAINS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Ghanute, in the county of Neosho and State of Kansas, have invented a new and useful Reversing Mechanism, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to certain improvements in engine reversing and regulating mechanism of that class in which the valveoperating eccentric is adjustable in such mannor as to vary its degree of eccentricity to the shaft.

The object of my invention is to so construct the eccentric and its connected parts as to provide for the ready adjustment of the eccentric from one position to the opposite or reversed position and to automatically lock the adjusting mechanism in both positions of adjustment.

A further object of the invention is to provide for greater delicacy of adjustment of the eccentric, to regulate the extent of travel of the cut-off, and, further, to provide for the adj ustment of the operating means to alter the extremes of movement in adjusting the device for operation of the engine in a forward or a backward direction.

With these and other objects in view the present invention consists in the combination and arrangement of parts, as will be hereinafter more fully described, shown in the accompanying drawings, and particularly point ed out in the claims, it being understood that changesin the form, proportion, sizes, and minor details may be made within the scope of the claims Without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a sectional plan view on the line 1 1, Fig. 2, of a reversing mechanism constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional elevation of the same; and Fig. 3 is an end elevation of the device looking in the direction of the arrow 3, Fig. 1.

Similar numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts throughout the various views of the drawings.

1 designates the main shaft of the engine,

connected to and driven by any suitable operating mechanism. On the shaft is secured an eccentric-supporting block 2, having an elongated guide-block 3, mounted diametrically of the shaft and adapted for the recep= tion of grooved guides 4 4, formed in the adjacent faces of segmental plates 5 5, secured to one side of the eccentric 6, said plates being adjustable from and toward the guide 3 in order to provide for wear. The adjusting means in this instance comprises bolts 8, passing through slotted openings 9 in the plates and secured to the eccentric 6.

The eccentric 6 is provided with a diametral slot 10, through which the shaft 1 extends and permits the movement of the eccentric from one position to the other to vary the degree of its eccentricity to such shaft. eccentric is provided, as usual, with a strap 11, connected to a rod 12, which may lead to the cut-off valve of the engine or to any other mechanism the movement of which it is designed to control. The eccentric is locked to the shaft and revolved thereby through the medium of the guide-plates 5 and the block 2 in all positions of adjustment and on its opposite face is provided with parallel ribs 14, adapted for the reception of a clutch-face 15, formed on one end of an adjustable collar 16. The collar 16 is feathered to the shaft and is moved to and fro thereon by an adjusting-lever 17, having a slotted end 18 engaging with pin 19 on a strap 20, adapted to a suitable groove in the collar. The attachin g end of the adj usting-lever, is bifurcated, engaging with both sides of the strap 20 and holding the same stationary while permitting the collar'16 to revolve with the shaft 1.

Secured to the shaft 1 by a'set-screw 22 is a collar 23, having a clutch-face 24, adapted to engage with a clutching-face 25 on the 001- lar 16 when the latter is in the'position illustrated in full lines in Fig. 1, thus insuring a firmer locking of the collar 16 to the shaft. The collar 23 may be adjusted toward and from the eccentric by merely loosening the set-screw 22 and again tightening the same when the collar has been adjusted to the desired position.

The adjacent faces of the eccentric 6 and The the collar 16 are connected by adjustable tiebars 26, which extend across the axis of the shaft, being secured at one end to the eccentric on one side of the shaft and at the opposite end to the collar on the opposite side of the shaft. The tie-bars are each made in two sections united by a nut 27, having right and left hand threads engaging with threads on the ends of the rod-sections, so that the length of such rods may be adjusted.

The width of the clutch-face 15 of the collar 16 is less than the distance between the clutching-ribs 14 of the eccentric, affording a space 011 each side for the reception of the tie-bars when the collar 16 is moved to the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1, the bars then assuming a position at right angles to the axis of the shaft and with the clutching-face 15 being locked between the ribs 14 and serving partially to support and to transmit to the eccentric the rotations of the shaft.

The operating-lever 17 may be of any suitable construction and operated either by hand or power. In the present instance it is shown in the form of a bell-crank lever 17, pivoted at 28 to a fixed point, and one end of the lever may, if desired, be connected, as by dotted lines 30, with a suitable governor driven by the engine, so as to automatically adjust the eccentric to alter the point of cut-off and so regulate the speed of the engine.

The operation of the device will be readily understood. When the parts are in the position illustrated in Fig. 1, the eccentric is adjusted to one ofits extremes of positions corresponding, for instance, to the full forward position and is operated by the block 2 to move the eccentric-strap 11. The collar 16 is in this position locked to and revolving with the collar 23, so that there will be no strain whatever on the connecting-rods 26. When it is desired to reverse the engine, the lever 17 is operated to move the collar 16 from the position shown in full lines to that illustrated in dotted lines, causing the travel of the eccentric on the guide-block 2 to the opposite position, the rods 26 and clutch-face 15 of the collar 16 entering between the ribs 14 and locking the eccentric more securely to the shaft and preventing any strain on the connecting-rods. When the device is employed for the purpose of automatically regulating the point of cutoff of the steam-valve and is for that purpose operated by the governor, the collar 16 will be moved but slightly; but anyindependent rotative movement or strain on the connecting-rods will be avoided by the feathering connection between the shaft and the collar. The limit of movement of the eccentric is governed by lengthening or shortening the connecting-rods 26 and by the longitudinal adjustment of the collar 23, as previously described.

The device as described is intended principally for use in connection with steam or other engines and is designed to dispense with the ordinary link or other reversinggear; but itmay be employed in connection with any machine or mechanism in which it is desired to employ an eccentric of variable throw.

Having thus described my invention, what is claimed is 1. In a device of the class specified, the combination of the shaft, an eccentric-support secured thereto, an eccentric carried by the support and adjustable thereon, an adjusting-collar mounted on the shaft and connected to the eccentric, a locking-collar on said shaft, said locking-collar and eccentric forming the two limits of movement of the adjusting-collar and being adapted to receive and interlock with said collar.

'2. In a device of the class specified, the combination of the shaft, an eccentric-support secured thereto, a slottedeccentric carried by the support and adjustable thereon, locking-ribs provided on one side or face of the eccentric, an adjusting-collar having clutch-faces at its opposite ends, connecting rods or bars extending between the collar and the eccentric, and adapted to be interlocked between one of the clutching-faces of the collar and the eccentric locking-ribs, and a locking-collar adjustable on the shaft and adapted to be engaged by the opposite clutch-face of the adjusting-collar, substantially as speci fied.

3. In a device of the class specified, the combination of the shaft 1, an eccentric-support 2 secured to the shaft and provided with guides 3, an eccentric 6 having a diametral slot for the passage of the shaft, adjustable plates 5 secured to the eccentric and having guiding-faces adapted to said guides 3, looking-ribs 14 arranged on the opposite face of the eccentric, an adjustable locking-collar 23 secured on the shaft and having a clutchface 24, an adjusting-collar 16, having clutchfaces at its opposite ends, an operating-lever 17 adapted to engage with said adjusting-collar, and adjustable connecting bars or rods 26 extending between the adj listing-collar and the eccentric, substantially as specified.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed mysignature in the presence of two witnesses.

11s CHARLES E. RAINS. mark \Vitnesses:

LEONARD E. ELSTEN, JOHN J. JONES. 

